The present invention is broadly concerned with improvements in endoscopes and endoscope systems and, more particularly, to an improved flush apparatus or system for unclogging a lumen or line of an endoscope.
Endoscopes and endoscopic devices provide capabilities for physicians to view internal regions of the body for diagnostic and treatment purposes. A typical endoscope may include a rigid or flexible tube; a light delivery system to illuminate the organ or object under inspection including light source which is normally outside the body, the light being carried by an optical fiber system extending through an endoscope tube; and a lens system to capture an image within the organ being viewed which is usually transferred to an eyepiece or an image array by fiberoptics. Alternatively, endoscopes may incorporate a miniature image array at the distal end of the endoscope tube, with data representing the image conveyed to electronics by electrical conductors. An image captured by the image array may be displayed in a display monitor.
Many endoscopes include lumens or passages connected to sources for delivering air or water to nozzles at the end of the endoscope tube and for suction. The endoscope system may include valves to control the flow of air or water or the suction of materials from the site of interest. The endoscope may also include one or more passages for the insertion of surgical instruments through the endoscope to the distal end thereof. Some endoscopes incorporate steering mechanisms therein to control the direction of travel of the distal ends thereof.
In the use of endoscopes, the suction lumen communicates with a vacuum pump by way of a suction line. The suction function is used to remove materials from the organ under examination, such as fluids used to lubricate passage through the organ or to clean off the lens. Such fluids may sometimes include solid materials entrained therein which can cause a blockage in the suction lumen, often in the vicinity of the suction valve. If the blockage cannot be cleared by suction alone, it is often necessary to back flush the suction lumen. Typically, the procedure is to disconnect the suction line from a suction fitting and to connect a syringe filled with water which is injected into the suction line to clear the blockage in the suction lumen. Afterwards, the suction line must be disconnected from the syringe and reconnected to the suction fitting of the vacuum pump. Such a procedure is time-consuming and may have to be performed repeatedly, since multiple blockages can occur.